When to use (and not use) AI in presentation design

AI is quickly making its mark as a game-changing presentation design tool that enhances creativity and streamlines the work process. From idea generation to automating tasks, it provides many ways for designers to work smarter and faster. However, it is important to have a healthy balance. In this article, we’ll look at the ideal ways AI can help in slide design and when it’s best to avoid it. Whether you wish to create quick mockups or generate data visualizations, it’s all about finding the right balance.

What is AI in presentation design?

AI has become a vital part of a designer’s toolkit, helping designers and non-designers alike create polished and visually compelling slides. They assist in areas like layout suggestions, image generation, and text summarizations, quickening the presentation creation process. While it does offer some irresistible advantages, such as saving time and coming up with ideas, it also has its limitations. Knowing when to leverage technology and when to leverage human expertise is essential for effective presentation design.

When can we use AI in presentation design?

As the field of presentation design expands and evolves, technology is becoming a valuable tool for enhancing the process and creativity. But knowing when and how to use it is important to avoid poor results and leaving a bad impression on your audience. These are the ideal ways AI can be used to improve presentations:

1. Quick mockups and idea generation

It can be super helpful in developing mockups and concepts, especially in the face of persistent creative blocks or tight deadlines. Through these tools, you can quickly generate design layouts, color schemes, or visual concepts or themes, giving you a bunch of options to start from without the need to begin from scratch. Here, AI is best as a thinking partner; it can bring in new ideas and perspectives in the early design stages, which you can then develop and refine.

2. Automating repetitive tasks

One of the most tedious parts of creating PowerPoint slides is the repetition of specific elements. Luckily, this is an example of a task easily handled by technology, such as resizing images and ensuring consistency. By automating these simple yet time-consuming tasks, designers can save time and focus on the more complex elements of the presentation. This frees up their plate, helping them create a more compelling narrative, design custom visuals, and refine the flow for a more polished presentation.

3. Enhancing data visualization

When working with raw numbers and data, AI tools can assist in generating simple charts, graphs, and infographics that communicate the information. This is especially useful when you need to quickly create data-based presentations without compromising aesthetics. By utilizing tools for data visualization, you can get input on how to visualize your data, refine its structure, and highlight the insights. However, note that you will need to review and customize any AI-generated visuals to double-check their accuracy and ensure they align with the presentation’s message.

When can we not use AI in presentation design?

AI tools have transformed the design world, making creating visuals and streamlining design workflows easier. However, that doesn’t mean it can completely take over PowerPoint design. A lot of the time, a human touch is needed for the audience to resonate with the slides. Here are some of the areas where artificial intelligence falls short and designers need to step in and take over:

1. Crafting a unique brand voice and identity

While AI is a powerful tool for creating PowerPoint slides, it isn’t always the ideal choice. When creating a unique brand voice or identity, you require a personal and nuanced approach to reflect the company’s values and personality. It can help come up with concepts and color schemes, but human intervention is vital to have authenticity. Think of how relying too much on templates deprives you of having your own voice. Similarly, relying purely on technology can risk producing an impersonal and generic design, so adding a personal touch is essential.

2. Storytelling and narrative flow

Storytelling is an inherently human quality, and while technology helps generate layouts and visuals, this is an area where human creativity will often win out. The secret to a compelling narrative arc lies in human insight and empathy—qualities that it may grasp in theory but usually lack the nuanced understanding that helps apply it effectively in context. It can produce results that feel disconnected since great storytelling requires an understanding of the audience’s needs and motivations. This is what allows presenters to tell stories that relate on a personal level, making it better to rely on human experiences and knowledge.

3. Avoiding bias in AI algorithms

Despite its powerful capabilities, AI still has its limitations. One primary concern is the bias inherent in its algorithms, which can often happen due to biases in its data. This can mean a couple of things: the first is that you get repetitive results; the other issue is that you can have results that perpetuate stereotypes and lack accuracy. These kinds of inaccuracies can harm the credibility of your presentation, so human intervention is needed to design presentations that require cultural nuance or precise data. Here, it works as a supplement for ideating, but not as a primary tool.

Balancing AI and human creativity in presentation design

Although AI is becoming a game-changing tool in presentation design, making the process more efficient and quicker, the real impact happens when man and machine work together. With it’s functionalities, like automating layouts and innovative concepts and generating design ideas, human expertise will always be irreplaceable. The designer’s nuance and knowledge of storytelling, audiences, and brand voice will bring depth and relevance that make the presentation memorable.

AI offers a lot of potential for designers to improve their presentation design, but the biggest impact comes from blending its capabilities with human creativity. By knowing when to leverage these tools and when to incorporate human insights, designers can create polished, innovative presentations that resonate with the audience. At Prezlab, our designers treat it as a tool in their arsenal, helping with quicker turnarounds and broader imagination. Contact our team now to learn more about our presentation design and AI services.